A Royal Love Triangle

Two

It is early, breakfast is being cooked for the royal family this morning and servants are walking in and out of the kitchen. And as usual, Reina could stay in bed until they had all emptied their plates so she could wash the dishes with some other servants.

Her life routine has become this way and she has been accepting it for a time now. Waking from slumber to the aroma of baked bread and biscuits, the aroma of steed meat and then, being the one to participate in washing utensils that she never used.

She was the slowest at doing the chores, the other servants would have left the kitchen for some other work. 

Reina didn't care, this was her only routine till she walked back into her small abode where her mother would visit her later. That simple abode has hall she dreams and future plans ideas strategized in it.

Sometimes she would use the coins her mother gave to journey to the village market after her chore routine, but sometimes she would pretend to be asleep till daybreak. And even when her mother was back to their quarters after a long day of work, Reina wouldn't say a word to her.

It’s not like they hated each other. Her mother was a prized possession to her and Reina will go to any length to prove that to her mother. They only have each other and through thick of thin, it will remain that way.

Her mother would know she is awake, but she would simply pat the child on the head and whisper goodnight to her. 

Well, this morning was different, Reina is awake and is already in the kitchen. The space is buzzing with cooked meals that made her stomach growl a bit, but she is here with a plan.

A plan that has been brewing since yesterday’s thought and propagandas of a new life where she would color her own fate.

As usual, her mother is spitting orders in the air to the worker who served the appetizers that morning. It is not unusual for her mother to be vocally loud as she is when giving order to the servants. One thing she knows for sure is that her mother makes works around here efficient and hasty like no other.

Fresh cooked meals are carried out of the kitchen one after the other, one seems to be the best perceived food until another pops out from the oven. The royal family themselves can attest to the fact that her mother could not be replaced.

"Where is Olivia?"

Grace asks after calling the worker severally but no answer.

"She is down with cramps mother." Reina answers as she runs towards her mother who is about to ask why she's here.

"She has told me to help her out, I promised to help her." Reina adds.

"You have never served before, you will be clumsy! Grace disapproves." Most turns she doesn’t even give a reason for her disapproval.

"That is because you never let me serve! Reina says trying to hold her anger in on this faithful morning ."

"That’s because you are not a servant and also I have my reasons, go back to your room and do whatever ." Grace says as she focuses on what she is doing.

"But mother...I just want to help out."

No buts! She almost yells.

"I have had enough of this already!" Reina says as she holds a fist. Some servants who are going inside and out have to stare at them because of the words exchanged.

"First thing tomorrow morning, I'm going back to Aunt Debra's." I won't waste my life here as you! She spits.

"I know what you want to do Reina, and I will not allow you to choose that part." Grave replies facing her.

"Maybe you should have provided a better life for us so I wouldn't have such kind of wish, it is your fault mother." Reina says as tears falls down from her face and she storms out of the kitchen.

There is little tears in Grace's eyes too, but she sucks it in and tries to focus on her morning duty. Somehow, Reina will always find a way to tackle a place that is still healing every time an argument broke out between them.

Reina runs out of the corridors through the back doors as she gathers her skirt, she steps out to the sunlight and she stops, sobbing. Her hands that were in a fist have been resolved as she uses them to clean her cheeks from the slithering tears.

"I hate my life."

She mutters to herself wishing she could go on louder than this.

"I hate my mother too."

She mutters again.

"I hate myself more!"

She wants to yell, but she is still in the castle.

Really?

A morning cool, tone free voice asks from an unknown place and she turns trying to catch the owner of such platonic voice. It’s not everyday a voice as cool as morning breeze finds her.

Whosoever can it be?

Why so?

This voice asks again when she still hadn’t gotten sight of what lurking in the day light. Reina turns her head over and finds a young man, maybe three years older standing adjacent to her.

She remains quiet when she realizes he's covered in dirt, perhaps a stable boy. Reina’s mind scans him and guesses his standing in society too.

He walks closer to her again but she is totally not about to pay even the slightest attention to him.

Why so? He asks again.

Don't speak to me! Her voice is deadly that he takes a step behind with his hands above his head, she is able to see his blue eyes and lightly tanned skin.

"If you say so." He simply chuckles.

Reina begins to walk away from him, as she holds her castle pass and a handful of coins in her pouch. She shows the guards at the gate her pass and they allow her to exit, little did she know that the dirty stable boy is following her.

She begins to walk in the quiet path of the castle heading to the closest market village until she hears the footsteps behind her. Reina continues walking and pays no attention to it, after several minutes of walking she looks back and finds the stable boy behind her.

Are you following me? She questions folding her hands, ready to confront him with her speech.

"No, we are simply working in the same part." He says as he raises his hand above his head.

What part are you heading to? She asks walking closer to him, like a predator surrounding its prey.

The boy is much more taller than her, because of his baggy stable clothes and straddler bag–Reina cannot see past the dirt on his physique to know if he was of large build or not.

Um...the...part of the village? He says.

She eyes him again before giving him a second scan walking. Reina is probably wondering whether he has had a bath in a long time.

"Stay five feet away from me! She yells while as she walks away"

Are you perhaps going in my direction? He asks as they walk along.

Mind your own business! You don’t even know where you are heading to. She says.

"Why don't you stop at the nearby lake, the water is refreshing and energizing." I'm pretty sure you would love your life again after a long bath.

Reina doesn't answer, but continues to walk.

Hey, do you hear me? He asks as he stops right in front of her.

"Come, he holds her by the hand and begins to run slowly dragging her with him until they end up at a beautiful lake." Reina doesn’t even remember how he bought her here, why she didn’t decline immediate as he tugged her to the lake, but they still landed to the spot where he wanted her to see.

For someone who had a lot of patches on his face, it is a miracle that she didn’t smack on the head for taking her hands without permission.

The moment he let go of her hand at the lake and faces her to find a reaction, he didn't know when exactly her hand came in contact to his face.

Oh, yes. Reina remembers he has taken her hand without permission.

Why do you keep talking to me!? She yells and pushes him away but his  stance is rigid and firm all of a sudden.

Reina is taken aback by that, but she stands firm too.

Who are you to hold me by the hand, who are you to ask me these stupid questions? Did I ask you to help me feel better?! 

Don't ever come near to me again, ever!

Reina steps away from him and hurts her knee against a stone unconsciously as she swerves and falls into the deep lake.